Astragalus rattanii
Rattan's milkvetch
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus rattanii (Rattan's milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family.
Rattan's milkvetch is a California native annual found in open, dry habitats at moderate elevations. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces delicate pink-purple flowers with paler wing tips, ranging 7 to 12 millimeters long. Growing with decumbent to erect slender stems 4 to 30 centimeters tall, it has a sparse, often blackish-strigose appearance. Its compound leaves feature 5 to 13 leaflets, each 2 to 12 millimeters long, with broadly obovate shapes and blunt or slightly notched tips. The fruit is a narrow linear pod 15 to 57 millimeters long, ascending and tapered to a sharp beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated, no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Mendocino, Colusa, Lake
How to tell it apart
vs Vicia: Astragalus has racemes of flowers; vetches (Vicia) have tendrils at leaf tips and climbing or sprawling habit.; vs Oxytropis: Astragalus keel tip is rounded to slightly pointed; Oxytropis keel has a pronounced pointed beak.; vs Cleomella: Astragalus has pea-shaped flowers; Cleomella has 4-petaled cruciform flowers with long stamens.; vs Lupinus: Astragalus has pinnate compound leaves; lupines have palmate leaves (leaflets radiating from one point).; vs Dalea: Astragalus has typical pea flowers; Dalea has tiny flowers with petals attached to the stamen tube.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astragalus rattanii native to California?
Yes. Astragalus rattanii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Astragalus rattanii grow?
Astragalus rattanii occurs in Mendocino, Colusa, Lake.
What plant family does Astragalus rattanii belong to?
Astragalus rattanii is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.